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We as people, are very used to getting our blood pressure taken. It is done at any and all doctor visits and is considered vital information. Should cats have their blood pressure measured too?

Young cats generally do not have problems with high blood pressure, much like young people. As they age however, high blood pressure can and does occur in cats. It can cause kidney damage, heart damage and blindness in cats.

Years ago, veterinarians started to see, infrequently but consistently, cats with cancerous tumors in the area that vaccinations were being administered. These tumors, called fibrosarcomas, are very invasive tumors that are nearly impossible to completely remove surgically.

Truth #1: Dry food is actually more likely to make cats fat. Cats are true carnivores meaning they onlyutilize protein and fat from the diet. They lack enzymes needed to break carbohydrates down intoabsorbable energy. Fat and protein are the moistest part of a dry food. There is only so much that can beput in and still have a dry kibble. Protein is also the most expensive component to making pet food. Thus,most dry food has a lot of carbohydrates and fiber and less protein and fat making it exactly the oppositeof what a cat would feed itself in the wild.

Before you sit your cat down for a serious discussion or ground them by taking away catnip toys…Herpesvirus in cats is primarily a respiratory disease.

Herpesvirus is an extremely common virus in the feline population (both domestic and wild). The majority of kittens already test positive for exposure by 8 weeks of age. Infected mothers can pass it on to their kittens as young as 3-4 weeks of age. Kittens are the most likely to have severe clinical signs and it can cause death in them.

When her Indian Ringneck Parakeet flew from her shoulder in May after being startled by a gust of wind, owner Kathryn Johnson thought she would never see her beloved bird again.

But thanks to a fortunate turn of events and good detective work by Cascade Hospital For Animals, Johnson was reunited nearly 2 months later with Peppin, who had managed to fly from Holland to roost at a home on the Thornapple River near Cascade Township.

While dogs love to ride shotgun in cars and trucks when their owners run errands or shop, veterinarians caution that the pets often should be left home for their own well being.

At the very least, owners should care for their pets with padded harnesses or carriers to protect against sudden stops or collisions and make sure that the insides of the vehicles won’t become sweltering under the summer sun.

This summer, dogs may be at an increased risk of contracting the H3N2 canine influenza virus being transmitted throughout the country at dog shows, so you may want to protect your pet with a vaccination against the disease.

At the beginning of June, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that there were six cases of the highly contagious respiratory disease that causes symptoms similar to human flu: coughing, runny nose and fever.

Dog owners who also are gardeners have been asking us at Cascade Hospital for Animals whether it’s safe to take their pets out with them as they perform various chores such as weeding and fertilizing. The short answer is yes, but be prepared to supervise your pet as you tend to your garden.

If you want to understand why Dr. Victoria Hekman got into the field of veterinary medicine, you needn’t look much further than the case of Petunia the pig.

“Petunia was a market hog that lived inside the house with a family that owned a farm,” says Victoria, who joined the staff of Cascade Hospital for Animals as an Associate Veterinarian last month after a stint in an emergency room of an Akron, Ohio pet clinic. “She even had her own bedroom.

There are a number of misconceptions about reptiles, but perhaps the top one is that they don’t make good pets.

“We have many owners of reptiles in this area, and they are well liked by the families that have them,” said Dr. Tracey Ritzman, a veterinarian who provides care for exotic pets, has been treating reptiles at Cascade Hospital for Animals for over 6 years. During that time, she has seen quite a menagerie of bearded dragons, boa constrictors, pythons, water and land turtles, tortoises and geckos.